LUMS Energy Institute Launches Report on Energy Efficient Buildings

In a milestone event, the LUMS Energy Institute (LEI), a research and capacity building centre with a focus on Pakistan’s energy sector, has unveiled a report titled Sustainable Architecture: Advancing Energy Efficient Buildings. The report addresses the acute energy challenge and how adopting energy-efficient practices in residential construction can drastically reduce loads.

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While addressing policymakers, regulatory bodies, and key stakeholder, Dr. Fiaz Ahmad Chaudhry, Director, LUMS Energy Institute, said, “Pakistan's expenditure of nearly USD 100 billion on power plants, predominantly for summer cooling loads, is unsustainable. By adopting the energy-efficient practices we can reduce cooling loads by at least 50%, saving billions of dollars.”

The seasonal variation in electricity usage, pronounced by cooling loads during hot summer months, necessitates an additional 18,000 MW of power plant capacity. This extra capacity, largely underutilized for the rest of the year, imposes a staggering cost of nearly $100 billion on the national economy. This operational inefficiency has led to capacity payment obligations surpassing PKR 2 trillion, a financial weight bearing down on a sector that contributes minimally to the country's GDP growth.

The report demonstrates how adopting energy-efficient practices in residential construction can drastically reduce these loads. Through a comprehensive exploration of locally available materials, Building Information Modelling (BIM) results, and cost-benefit analysis, the report provides a roadmap for stakeholders, homeowners, the construction industry, and regulatory bodies to embrace sustainable practices. The publication provides an exhaustive analysis across 5 Marla row houses, 10 Marla semi-detached houses, and 1 Kanal fully detached homes. The study evaluated the cooling loads, revealing that energy-efficient building insulation is fundamental to keeping electricity usage in the hot summer months at reasonable levels. For instance, energy efficient fans can reduce load by 60%, and energy-efficient appliances can cut energy consumption by 27%. The integration of air conditioning systems with geothermal solutions offers a further 19% reduction in load. The study emphasizes the substantial benefits of powering houses with solar panels, particularly in energy-efficient homes, where installation costs could be 50% lower than standard homes.

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A large gathering of policymakers, regulatory bodies, and key stakeholders related to energy and construction sectors witnessed the momentous ceremony and commended the efforts of the LUMS Energy Institute. Concluding his observations at the event, Dr. Chaudhry highlighted, "This report is not just an academic exercise; it is a blueprint for the future of sustainable architecture in Pakistan. We aim to inspire change in how buildings are designed and constructed, focusing on environmental sustainability and energy efficiency."